Some Fish Not Doing Too Well.

[Malawakiwhite]

I feel like crying and have a lump in my throat. My fish were delivered this morning. Looking into the bags one cyp was almost dead and one punk too. I left them in the bags and floated them for 20 mins. Then gently released them into a bucket. All the cyps looked lethargic. I tested the bag water PH was 8 same as my tank. I scooped excess bag water and began adding tank water bit by bit over 40 mins then put them in tank using a net. 2 cyps of 6 are dead. Only one has swam off the substrate the others look to be dying. 3 out of 4 punks seem ok. Seen 3 of 4 similis swimming about. Calvus has disappeared but seemed ok in bucket. I feel helpless and deflated have I done something wrong?

 

[elisew]

Cyps are extremely, extremely sensitive to travelling and it does on many an occasion have a very detrimental effect to them. It doesn`t sound like you`ve done anything wrong, it sounds like it`s possibly just a case of bad luck. I know that probably doesn`t help and I`m sorry that I can`t say anything that will. All you can do now is to just calm down, take a deep breath, keep the tank lights of and see how the fish go once left alone.

Calvus are reknowned for being shy and sensitive so it`s normal that it`s hiding, you`ll probably find it`ll hide away for a few days. Punks are pretty resilient so will hopefully pick up after a day or 2 of being settled and left alone.

My concern would be that may possibly lose more of the cyps due to stress but that`s something you can`t do anything about.

I wish I could be more positive and say they`ll all be fine but only time will tell. I`m sorry

 

[Malawakiwhite]

Thanks Elisew. I keep checking on them. 1 cyp looks absolutely fine, 1 is o.k and the other 2 are laying at the bottom, swimming a little bit but fear the worse. The punk is going to die I think. It has a mark on its side so might have been bullied in the bag. The other 3 punks look fine and feisty. Similis look fine, 2 have paired off, I'm struggling to find 1 of them though. Still no sign of Mr calvus. It was minus figures last night and think they got cold in the box I'll keep you updated. I'd hate to be left with 1 lonesome cyp.

 

[kiriyama]

Sorry to hear this mate, as mentioned Cyps are pretty sensitive to travelling, I had an LFS bring in a load of Paracyps for me a while back and only TWO survived the journey, just give them time to settle, put the lights out in the tank and let them hide away for a bit.....
Cheers, Sean

 

[Malawakiwhite]

The little punk didn't make it...

 

[kiriyama]

The little punk didn't make it...

Sorry to hear that mate , , ,
was the stuff packed ok ? (heat pack etc) , Or was it just the cold night ?
I have only had stuff couriered a couple of times, when its not a big online store but private breeder/dealer they try leave collection till evening then delivery for before 12, usually 1 at the latest, that way the fish is just "overnight" , say no more than 18 hrs... the cyps are famous for being delicate, hope the other ones are gonna be ok.....

 

[Malawakiwhite]

They left in the evening i think and arrived a 9.10am. I heard the weather forecast in the evening and it said into minus figures last night which I instantly thought #41#### and hoped they'd be o.k. They seemed well boxed. 1 heat pad, polestyrene box but bags did feel cool. I won't have fish in the post again....lesson learnt.

 

[kiriyama]

They left in the evening i think and arrived a 9.10am. I heard the weather forecast in the evening and it said into minus figures last night which I instantly thought #41#### and hoped they'd be o.k. They seemed well boxed. 1 heat pad, polestyrene box but bags did feel cool. I won't have fish in the post again....lesson learnt.

When I got my original 4 Sumbus one of the females was really "ropey", I thought it was dead, was really lucky getting her into the warmer water, was a real cold snap just as you have described. I was originally supposed to be receivin the red rainbows today, glad that got postponed to next week, sorry for your loss mate....

 

[Malawakiwhite]

I have 3 of the 6 malasa cyps left. All seem o.k, 1 has a cloudy eye and a little red mark below it. I've treated the water with a healthy fish tonic that counteracts fungus etc. All the others are doing well. One thing though Kiriyama my Sumbu compressicep looks nothing like yours?? Not sure it is one. It has spots like a calvus.

 

[kiriyama]

I have 3 of the 6 malasa cyps left. All seem o.k, 1 has a cloudy eye and a little red mark below it. I've treated the water with a healthy fish tonic that counteracts fungus etc. All the others are doing well. One thing though Kiriyama my Sumbu compressicep looks nothing like yours?? Not sure it is one. It has spots like a calvus.

You may have told me but I am old and tired so forgive me, can I ask where you ordered your Tangs from ?
Any pics ?

 

[Malawakiwhite]

I got them from Mike, It must be a Sumbu, It has faint stripes but spots towards its tail, which looking at some pics looks a little different- nice little fish though. He's extremely shy at the moment so a picture will be difficult. The cyp with the foggy eye doesn't like the light on (keeps going into a corner) so I've kept them off today. I can see a red mark still under his eye. To add to my worries, the PH was 8 yesterday, I had to add some PH up on Mike's advice but just retested and its nearer 7.5 now. What should I do? I don't want to just add ph up with the fish in do I??, so maybe a water change?? I starting to wonder if I am up to all this eek! Trying my best to help them.

 

[Malawakiwhite]

Also I removed the 2 dead fish I could see but there must be another other dead cyp in there but can't see it anywhere. Is it important to get it out or is it best not to give the fish another upheaval moving rocks etc?

 

[kiriyama]

Also I removed the 2 dead fish I could see but there must be another other dead cyp in there but can't see it anywhere. Is it important to get it out or is it best not to give the fish another upheaval moving rocks etc?

Is it definately dead or just hiding, if it's dead it would be better out of the tank as it will contaminate the water...
Don't know about the pH up, never used the stuff, sorry.. Have used bicarbonate of soda with water changes to up the pH(in Tropheus tank) and also aquarium salts.
If you have the lights out and want to remove the rocks, I suppose you might get away with it, just go slow and gently remove, it's your call, if it were me I would still do it, but that's not me telling YOU to do it....
The sumbu should be a Sumbu if it came from Mikes , , , was it listed as Altolamprologus compressiceps "shell" "Sumbu" / similiar..... the markings will chane a bit after it's been in the tank a while.... I don't see the spots on mine but they are well known for it...
Sorry I can't be much help here, you havn't got off to a great start but don't be disheartened mate , it's nothing you have done, no-one can control the weather......

Cheers, Sean

 

[bullit]

id prob leave the ph for the mo and add bicarb when you do a water change and get it up over time. You dont want to keep raising it if its gonna drop again. I know mike keeps them at 8 but ive had fish from him and my ph is around yours but ive started on the bicarb. Agree with kiriyama id get the dead fish out aswell. cheers

 

[Malawakiwhite]

Thanks for the input guys I really appreciate the help, Do you know the amount of bicarb I need to add per ltr? Also Epsom salts too, Mike mentioned he adds this too